Mills Building, South Carolina State Hospital

The Mills Building is a former hospital in Columbia constructed in 1827 with Greek Revival design, featuring Doric columns and two symmetrical wings. The structure includes separate courtyard areas and was arranged so that different patient groups could be kept apart from one another.

This structure was designed in 1827 by Robert Mills, the first officially registered architect in the United States. It marked a turning point when mental health facilities began moving away from simple confinement toward therapeutic approaches.

The building's layout shows how people once believed that separation and order could help patients heal. The divided spaces for different groups reveal 19th-century ideas about managing mental illness through careful arrangement of people and activities.

The building sits on Bull Street in Columbia and now serves as office space for the Department of Health and Environmental Control. When visiting, keep in mind it functions as an active workplace, not a museum with scheduled tours.

The roof featured planted gardens, an unusual idea for the 1820s. These spaces gave patients access to fresh air and light high above the ground, a concept ahead of its time in psychiatric care.

Location: Columbia

Architects: Robert Mills

GPS coordinates: 34.01440,-81.03330

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:51